GBD12: Living the Lore (with Ronald Hutton)

In this episode I speak with Professor Ronald Hutton in his office at the University of Bristol, discussing the value of participatory, experiential folklore scholarship: living the lore rather than studying it aloofly. Afterward, by way of example, I tell how my own direct experience of the May this year has deepened my understanding of the holiday and my sense of its enchantment. I also answer questions from "the mailbag"-that is, from my listeners and viewers.
Irish American Heritage Museum's discussion of May Eve traditions and beliefs:
• May Eve Traditions & S...
May carol from Bedfordshire (utilizing minor chords):
• Bedfordshire May Carol
NPR article about May baskets:
www.npr.org/sections/npr-hist...
May carol (a composite carol I put together, with a few words I added here and there):
I have been wandering all this night
And most part of this day,
So now I have come for to sing you a song
And to bring you a branch of May.
A branch of May I have brought you,
And at your door it stands.
It’s only a sprout, but it’s all budded out
By the work of our Lord’s own hand.
Such flowers shone there in the strange night air
And all in the early dew.
I felt some fright, but I made it through the night
To bring this May to you.
Wake up, wake up, you pretty fair maid,
Wake from your drowsy dream
And step into your dairy house
For to pour us a cup of cream.
A man’s but a man. His life’s but a span.
He is much like a flower,
For he’s here today and gone tomorrow,
And he’s all gone down in an hour.
My song is done. I must be gone.
I can no longer stay.
God bless us all both great and small
And grant us a gladsome May.
Three poems:
Herrick
www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...
Eliot
www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...
cummings
www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...
my website:
gregbrownderville.com
If you have questions for me about this episode or anything else, leave a comment under the video or hit me up at [e-mail]. If I get some good questions, I might do a Q&A episode.
logo design by Julie Savasky at 508 Creative: 508creative.com
Greg Brownderville is the author of three books of poetry, the lead singer of Beekeeper Spaceman, the creator of Fire Bones, Editor-in-Chief at Southwest Review, and Professor of English at SMU in Dallas.

[@Phorquieu]

Brilliant discussion of culture and myth and recurring patterns of festal celebrations. Keep doing what you are doing!

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Many thanks, Nestor!

[@Brokout]

Fascinating talk, I especially like the connection you made between the life and death aspects of the traditions

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks, @Brokout! That theme (life/death) is what fascinated me most about this topic.

[@suedaniels3389]

Professor Hutton is so right about how people have a powerful response when he dressed as the Horse. There is a strange spiritual response. It is with us all the time. Witness how ppl respond to King’s Horseguards trooper horses. Absolutely bewitched

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Fascinating how it harkens back to our oldest rituals.

[@turinhorse]

Hutton is a real treasure. I loved his bit parts in Tales of the Green Valley. definitely wassail with that dude

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

He really is. When I visited Bristol, he was very gracious-and generous with his time and knowledge.

[@2anthro]

In elementary school, early 50s, central Texas, we danced a Maypole dance. It was a very big occasion in that our mothers made us new dresses in pastel colors, the boys were dressed in trousers and new white shirts. At that time most of the central Texans were historically from Ireland /Scotland. It was a happy event with all the aunties/uncles invited. A happy moment in our childhood. We knew nothing about the history of the Maypole. Looking forward to more of your discussions!!

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks for this lovely evocation of a Texas May Day! Since I’m living in Texas now, this is especially interesting to me. I wonder whether anyone in your hometown is still celebrating the holiday.

[@2anthro]

@@gregbrowndervilledimension To my knowledge its just a memory. A lovely one!

[@YorkyOne]

​@@2anthro That's interesting as maypoles are only found in those parts of Britain and Ireland where there was strong English influence.

[@jmck6320]

There is a maypole in Holywood co down. Not sure if anywhere else in Ireland

[@helenwood1]

I'm seeing this in June and so so sorry to have missed the opportunity to gather the May this year. Maybe next year.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks very much for watching, Helen. Look at the bright side: now you have plenty of time to plan for next May! I, myself, felt that I had let the May sneak up on me this year; next year, I want to be camping in the deep woods on May Eve into May Morning.

[@jrojala]

I’m going to plan ahead for next May, you could too, I’m sure it’ll be amazing!

[@francescafoot9739]

in the English midlands it is bad luck to bring may blossom [hawthorn] into the house because its sweetish smell is reminiscent of the smell of death.l am 75 years old and was told this by my grandmother

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Fascinating detail. Hutton points out in his book THE STATIONS OF THE SUN that the May plants have conflicting meanings across regions, and this is a wonderful illustration of that. Thank you.

[@iamthewolfboy]

Appreciate your content and look forward to more. Experiential aspects you talk about are essential to understanding these things, they are about changing consciousness and feeling things move inside you. You may like the video I made for May day this year called Sacrifice and skylarks.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks so much for the kind words! I just watched your beautiful video essay about the May. Stunning! And I love that song around the 8:00 mark.

[@sals1123]

Very interesting recounting of the experience of May Morning! Thank you for bringing these facts to us! Two points: sleep deprivation is a very powerful consciousness-altering experience as is true fasting (reducing food intake gradually until you are taking only water) for up to 3 days. Next, music written in a minor key is usually considered to be older than that what is written in major keys. Creating music in major keys took a discipline that was not as "natural" to the common people. Writing music or songs in other-than-minor keys is one of the attributes that made some of the composers coming out of the Rennaisance "revolutionary" or "visionary" in what they composed. Please keep your investigations going! They are awe inspiring to those of us who enjoy and personally practice what we can of the ancient customs.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you for the kind words and for your insights! I agree with you about sleep deprivation and fasting. I fasted for five days straight a couple of years ago (nothing but coffee and water)-that was an intense experience.

[@giuseppersa2391]

Another great video thank you ❤

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks, Guiseppe!

[@terrijones1167]

Enjoyed this. Really interesting.Thanks. going to look into the Halloween/May Day connection a bit deeper.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks, Terri! So glad you enjoyed it. That Halloween / May connection is truly fascinating.

[@JD-pn4hc]

I found your comments on the carols and where they originate from very interesting. I'm from Bedfordshire and here the Hawthorn tree is still often called the May tree, Mayflower or May blossom especally by the older generation. I haven't heard of Whitethorn but we do have a Blackthorn tree that flowers about a month earlier, it produces sloes which are a type of wild plum and has something on its thorns that will make even a small scratch become infected. The two trees have similar flowers and it's easy to get them mixed up. If I am remembering correctly, it's the Blackthorn that is thought to be unlucky/bad in this area. I thought it was because of the poisonous thorns but thinking about it, it is possible it could be becouse if the Blackthorn is still in flower by May then it has been a long hard winter/late spring? Looking forward to watching more from you.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you for watching, JD, and thanks for the fascinating information about the hawthorns! I’m curious: Do folks still sing May carols in Bedfordshire?

[@jrojala]

This was phenomenal, thanks for sharing this interesting conversation!

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thanks so much for the kind words, @jrojala!

[@Nightowl-72]

Just found you, really enjoyed this❤

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you, Nightbird!

[@cedk144]

I just found this channel! Something for a future May program: How much of the rites & symbols used in "The Wicker Man" 1973 has any authenticity & how far back can any othem be traced? I've always questioned how much the Teaser, the Hobby-Horse, and the Fool/Punch were actually part of one ceremony or totally different aspects jammed together, also the hexagonal swordsmen and the supposed anointings of the Victim-King?

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Welcome, Ced K! So glad you’ve found GBD and taken the time to leave thoughtful comments. Much appreciated. This is the second time in one month that I’ve been urged to look into these questions about “The Wicker Man,” so clearly there’s interest in that topic. Which reminds me: I attended the Straw Bear Festival in Whittlesea back in December, which was wondrous despite the untimely rainfall.

[@divinerdetective44]

It's my understanding that both Halloween and May Eve are times when the veil is thinnest between this world & the Otherworld.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you, Diviner Detective, for watching and commenting! I think you’re right about May Eve and Halloween.

[@sineadmariturnham6766]

Beltane is my birthday which is great fun as I'm usually The May Queen due to this. Mead and maypole dancing prevails! I enjoyed your telling of your May Morning experience.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Sinead! What is it like to be the May Queen? Do you live in Ireland?

[@sineadmariturnham6766]

English / Irish (fathers' side) but I'm in Africa right now! It's great being the May queen, I wear white and flowers and feel charged with faerie energy. One feels like the queen of the faeries but it's important not to say that out loud or I would offend her!! I just invoke her. Never offend the fae!

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

@@sineadmariturnham6766 This all sounds quite magical!

[@hdebard]

April is the cruelest because in April all is born and when a cold days even with snow or hail, strikes the tender young plants and birds will die

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Thank you for your thoughts on Eliot’s famous line.

[@massonman9099]

I am originally from Derbyshire, and it was considered very bad luck to bring hawthorn blossom into the house. This was as late as the nineteen fifties.

[@gregbrowndervilledimension]

Ay up, me duck! I studied in Derby as an undergraduate and think of it often and fondly. I hope to go back one of these days. Thanks for watching the episode!